By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY (Associated Press)
ISTANBUL (AP) — A bomb rocked a significant pedestrian avenue within the coronary heart of Istanbul on Sunday, killing six folks, wounding a number of dozen and sending folks fleeing the fiery explosion.
Emergency automobiles rushed to the scene on Istiklal Avenue, a well-liked thoroughfare lined with retailers and eating places that results in the long-lasting Taksim Square. In one video posted on-line, a loud bang could possibly be heard and a flash seen as pedestrians turned and ran away.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan known as the blast a “treacherous attack” and stated its perpetrators could be punished.
He didn’t say who was behind the assault however stated it had the “smell of terror” with out providing particulars and in addition including that was not sure but. The president stated investigations have been ongoing by the police and the governor’s workplace, together with reviewing footage of the realm.
Erdogan stated six folks have been killed. Vice President Fuat Oktay later up to date the wounded toll to 81, with two in critical situation, and in addition stated it seemed to be a terrorist assault.
Numerous overseas governments supplied their condolences, together with neighboring Greece with which relations are tense. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated he was “shocked and saddened by the news of the heinous attack.”
Turkey was hit by a string of bombings between 2015 and 2017 that left greater than 500 civilians and safety personnel useless. Some of the assaults have been perpetrated by the Islamic State group, whereas others have been executed by Kurdish militants who’ve led a decadeslong insurgency towards the Turkish state for elevated autonomy or independence.
Turkey has been combating the militants — referred to as the PKK and regarded a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union — within the nation’s southeast for years.
Following the string of assaults, Turkey launched cross-border navy operations into Syria and northern Iraq towards Kurdish militants, whereas additionally cracking down on Kurdish politicians, journalists and activists at house by way of broad terror legal guidelines that critics say are a strategy to silence dissent.
Turkey’s media watchdog imposed non permanent restrictions on reporting on Sunday’s explosion — a transfer that bans the usage of close-up movies and images of the blast and its aftermath. The Supreme Council of Radio and Television has imposed comparable bans prior to now, following assaults and accidents.
Access to some content material on Twitter and different social media websites, akin to movies, was restricted.
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Associated Press reporter Cavit Ozgul contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”